A MULTIPHASE MIXED METHOD APPROACH TO ASSESS INTERNATIONALISATON OF HIGHER EDUCATION POLICIES

Higher education internationalization (HEI) has become a significant priority to policy makers and education providers around the globe. Motivated by globalization, HEI has become politically strategic and economically promising for nations, governments and universities to position themselves in a global market. The paper's aim is to provide a methodology for the study of a dynamic and reformative South African HEI framework based on the transformative force (i.e. adjustment of change, learning, shared knowledge, internationalization, globalization an institutionalized memory) of HEI in the People's Republic of China. A multiphase-mixed methods approach is used in determining a South African higher education reformative internationalization framework based on Chinese experiences. The interpretivist paradigm constitute the underlying research approach. Multiphase mixed methods will be employed to collect, analyze and integrate quantitative and qualitative data and will allow for a more complete and synergistic usage of data than separate quantitative and qualitative methodology. The multiphase mixed methods design includes three phases that come together to answer the focal research question. The focal research question and will be addressed through content analysis (Phase I), in-depth interviews (Phase II) and surveys (Phase III). The significance of this research is aimed at arousing a better understanding of higher education policy issues in South Africa from a transformation perspective. This research will contribute to theory with respect to how internationalization and globalization influence higher education and the position of higher education in economic and social development. Furthermore, this research may also have practical significance for higher education policy and practice in South Africa and other comparatively positioned countries. It might expand knowledge and awareness of how internationalization influences the unique circumstances and challenges of higher education reform in developing countries, especially a country in search of positioning itself in a globalized knowledge economy.